Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Robotfan: Kroogar's gonna get a change of attire to cover up the damage he's taken.
Devastator: I plan to have Susan show up again.
Here's Chapter 35, guys! Read and Review - and let me know ASAP if you catch any spelling or grammar errors.
Weaver Residence, Los Angeles
9:00 AM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
The bodies had been removed last night and yet the smell of death still hung over the entrance of Catherine Weaver's residence. Special Agent Auldridge regarded the scene with a sense of dread. Four people dead. Two of them police officers. One seven-year old girl kidnapped. The press was going crazy. If he didn't solve this one soon, his superiors would have his head on a platter.
Catherine Weaver herself was handling the situation quite well, all things considered. She wasn't sobbing or trembling like Auldridge would expect. She looked very disturbed, but at the same time she looked determined and in control of herself.
"Any news on my daughter?" she asked.
"Not yet, Miss Weaver," he replied, "But do not worry. My people are working to find her non-stop. We're using every resource at our disposal. We will find your daughter, Miss Weaver. I promise you that."
Weaver nodded. "Thank you, Agent Auldridge. I appreciate your assurance. Savannah means so much to me. Is there anything I could do to assist you in your search?"
"Yes, there is." said Auldridge, "Can you think of anyone who might want to harm either you or your daughter?"
Weaver shook her head. "No. None that I can think of. My daughter and I have no enemies personal or professional."
"Are you sure?" asked Auldridge, "No disgruntled employees? No corporate rivals?"
"No." repeated Weaver.
"Not to intrude on your personal life," said Auldridge quietly, "But are you or have you been, uh, seeing anyone since your husband's death?"
"I've seen a lot of people since my husband's death." Weaver answered. "Many of them on a daily basis."
"No, no, I mean, well..." Auldridge cleared his throat. "Are you dating anyone?"
"You mean attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with another man in order to find a suitable replacement for my late husband?" asked Weaver. She seemed amused. "No. I'm afraid I've been too busy with work."
Auldridge nodded slowly, slightly unnerved by Weaver's odd choice of words. "Well, if you discover or hear anything about your daughter, please call me." He handed her a card.
"Of course, Agent Auldridge." Weaver replied politely. "And likewise, should you and your people uncover anything about Savannah, please inform me or my head of security, Mr. Ellison."
Agent Auldridge raised an eyebrow slightly. "I assume you mean James Ellison? Formerly of the FBI."
"Yes." Weaver smiled, "I'm certain he'd be more than happy to assist his former colleagues in this investigation."
Zeira Corp HQ, Los Angeles
10:14 AM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
"Mr. Ellison, why do you not wish to assist the FBI in their investigation?" asked a confused John Henry.
"Because," answered Ellison, "they don't know what they're dealing with."
"Then why you have asked me not to hide the security footage of the attack last night?" asked John Henry. He gestured to the large monitor behind him which was playing multiple black-and-white recordings. "Why not inform the authorities of the fact that Sarah Connor is alive and has possession of Savannah? Then they will know what they are dealing with."
"John Henry, you have to understand," said Ellison slowly, "this is something that has to remain between us. No one else can learn that the Connors are still alive. Or that they have Savannah."
"Not even Miss Weaver?"
"Not even her."
"I do not understand, Mr. Ellison." said a confused and increasingly agitated John Henry, "The last time I withheld information concerning Savannah's whereabouts, you told me that that was the wrong thing to do. That she could have been harmed. But now you are encouraging me to withhold information about Savannah's whereabouts. To lie. Why?"
Ellison didn't know how to respond. How could he explain this to John Henry without contradicting everything he had taught him?
"It's easier than you think, James." said Ellen, who had appeared at his side. "Just repeat after me: Most of the time, John Henry, you should not lie."
"Most of the time, John Henry, you should not lie." Ellison repeated to John Henry.
"However, there are exceptions." Ellen continued.
"However, there are exceptions."
"What sort of exceptions?" asked John Henry.
"When human life depends upon a secret being kept," Ellen went on, "In this case, keeping Sarah Connor's existence secret will ensure Savannah's safety."
"When human life depends upon a secret being kept. In this case, keeping Sarah Connor's existence secret will ensure Savannah's safety." Ellison repeated Ellen word for word.
"I think, James, you should be able to figure the rest out from here." said Ellen with a smile.
Ellison focused his full attention on John Henry. "Sarah Connor is not going to harm Savannah," he explained slowly and clearly, "She is actually protecting her from your brother. Right now, her greatest advantage is the fact that your brother does not know she is still alive. We need to keep it that way. The fewer people who know about the Connors, the less likely it is that your brother will learn about them, and therefore, the safer Savannah is. Does that make sense?"
"Yes." answered John Henry after a moment's thought, "Yes... That does make sense. But how do you intend to retrieve Savannah and return her to Miss Weaver?"
"That's something I think you can help me with." said Ellison.
Connor Safehouse
"Come on, sweetie." encouraged Sarah, "Eat up." She poked her fork at a large stack of pancakes in front of Savannah.
"I'm not hungry." mumbled a gloomy Savannah, "I just wanna see Mommy."
Sarah sighed. "You'll see her soon." she told the little girl gently, "I promise."
"Why can't I see her now?" asked Savannah.
"Because that man is still out there." Cameron said monotonically, "It is not safe to leave the vicinity. Otherwise, both you and your mother will be at serious risk of attack-"
"Ahem." Sarah cleared her throat loudly.
"You need to eat first and recover your strength." Cameron adjusted her statement. "Then we'll see about getting you back to your mother."
This didn't seem to cheer Savannah up that much but she nodded her head in agreement.
Sarah's cell phone suddenly rang. Wondering who could be calling her, Sarah picked up the phone.
"Hello?" she said cautiously.
"Hello again, Miss Connor."
Sarah's eyes widened in alarm. "Ellison?"
"That's right."
Cameron tilted her head and Savannah looked up in excitement.
"How did you get this number?" Sarah demanded.
"We all have our secrets, Sarah. Let's cut to the chase here. Is the girl with you?"
Sarah sighed and reluctantly whispered, "Yes."
"Is she hurt?"
"She's a little shaken, but other than that she's ok."
"Can I speak with her, please?"
"All right," Sarah relented. She put the phone on speaker and placed it in front of Savannah. "Go ahead, honey."
"Hello." said Savannah quietly,"Is that you, Mr. Ellison?"
"Yes, Savannah. It's me. Your Uncle Ellison. How are you, honey?"
"I'm ok. Can I speak with Mommy, please?"
"Not yet. I want you to listen to me very carefully, Savannah. Sarah is your friend. Do everything she tells you to do and I promise you will see your mother again. Can you do that for your Uncle Ellison?"
"Yes, Mr. Ellison."
"Good girl, Savannah. May I speak with Sarah again?"
"Ok." Savannah handed the phone back to Sarah.
Sarah turned the speaker off and then asked suspiciously, "What's your business in all this, Ellison?"
"I just want to make sure Savannah gets back to her mother safely."
"Her mother may be in danger herself."
"I don't doubt that. But I insist you return Savannah to her as soon as possible."
Sarah thought this over for a few seconds. "Ok, I'll do it." she agreed, "But I want to speak with Catherine Weaver herself first. Can you arrange that for me?"
"I can try."
"Call me back when you're ready." said Sarah. She hung up without another word.
Zeira Corp HQ, Los Angeles
11:07 AM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
Because very few people came to work on Saturdays, the corridors of Zeira Corp were mostly deserted today. This allowed Weaver and Ellison to discuss sensitive matters in the open.
"How long have you known that Sarah Connor is still alive?" Weaver asked rather harshly as they walked down an empty hallway.
"Months." admitted Ellison.
"And you never thought to inform me?" Weaver said, accusation clear in her voice.
"Being in contact with a fugitive who's supposed to be dead isn't something that's easy to reveal."
"Apparently not."
They entered the elevator and began their ascent.
"What have you told her about our work here?" Weaver asked.
"Nothing." said Ellison truthfully, "Until today, she never even knew I worked for you."
"Then how did she know that Skynet would try to attack Savannah?" Weaver asked.
"I think that's a question you should ask her." suggested Ellison.
"You're probably right." said Weaver. "I confess I'm a little disappointed by your lack of trust in me, Mr. Ellison."
"My lack of trust in you?"
"I assume you didn't tell me about the Connors earlier because you thought I would hand them over to the authorities. Is that right?"
"That notion did come to mind." acknowledged Ellison.
"It was wrong." Weaver said coldly.
They stepped out of the elevator and into her office.
Weaver continued speaking as they approached her desk. "I don't view the Connors as criminals, Mr. Ellison. I view them as allies in this secret war against Skynet."
Ellison shook his head. "With all due respect, Miss Weaver, I don't think they would view you as an ally. Not if they knew about John Henry."
Weaver sat down at her desk. "You think they'd try to destroy him?"
"They'd destroy your entire company." warned Ellison.
"Well, then," replied Weaver curtly, "we'll just have to be very careful not to bring up that subject. Won't we?"
She paused to give Ellison a devious smile. "Make the call, James. Let's not keep the Connors waiting."
Connor Safehouse
"We can't trust him." protested Cameron.
"I know that, Cameron." stated Sarah trying to be patient, "But we can't keep the girl with us forever."
"Why not?" asked Cameron, "We have sufficient resources."
"It's not a matter of resources," said Sarah sternly, "She belongs with her mother."
"Her mother will not be able to provide her with adequate protection." Cameron countered, "She'd be safer with us."
"That's why I want to speak with Weaver before handing her daughter back."
"You intend to persuade her to go into hiding?"
"Maybe. At the very least, I need to let her know what she's up against."
"Will she believe you?" Cameron asked.
"I don't know." said Sarah, "But I am not going to deny her access to her own daughter, and that is final. Understood?"
Cameron nodded. "Understood."
For the second time that morning, Sarah's cell phone rang. She picked it up.
"Mr. Ellison?"
"Sarah, I have Catherine Weaver with me."
"Good." said Sarah, "Let me speak to her."
"Just a moment."
A moment later a new voice came through the speaker. It was soft, feminine and cool with an accent. "This is Catherine Weaver."
Sarah took a deep breath and exhaled. "This is Sarah Connor."
"Is my daughter there?" asked Weaver.
"She's resting right now." said Sarah, "I can wake her up, if you like."
"That won't be necessary, Miss Connor. Mr. Ellison has already spoken to her. Let her rest for now. She probably needs it. Just let her know you spoke to me. That will comfort her very much."
Sarah was slightly surprised by Weaver's response. "I'll tell her that, Miss Weaver." she agreed.
"Thank you, Miss Connor." Weaver replied, "And also I thank you for your timely rescue of Savannah. She means very much to me, and I would not want anything to happen to her. We are both in your debt."
Again, Sarah was surprised by the amount of control and calmness in Weaver's voice. This was not what Sarah had been expecting from a mother whose only child had gone missing.
Maybe some mothers were just better at controlling their emotions than others.
"Miss Weaver," asked Sarah, "Do you have any idea why someone might want to hurt either you or your daughter?"
"No. But I do know who or shall we say - what - tried to attack Savannah."
Despite being miles away, Sarah could almost see Weaver smiling on the other end.
"Yes, Miss Connor. I know about Skynet. I know about the machines. And I know about Judgment Day."
Sarah resisted asking how she knew this. Instead she said, "If you know all that, then you must know that you and your daughter are both in great danger."
"You and I are both aware of the threat these things pose not just to us and our families, but to the entire world. Which is why we should discuss these matters in person."
"In...in person?" Sarah couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Yes, in person. I'd like to meet with you, Miss Connor. At Zeira Corp Headquarters. Today. When you return my daughter to me. Can you do that?"
"I..." Sarah trailed off. "...just a moment, please."
She put phone down. "Weaver wants to meet with me." she told Cameron, "Today. At Zeira Corp."
"Why?" asked Cameron.
"She says she knows about Skynet." replied Sarah.
"How?"
"I don't know. But she knows. And now she wants to see me in person."
"You can't do that," Cameron stated, "At least not today. We need time to prepare. In case this is a trap."
Sarah nodded and then picked the phone back up. "Miss Weaver," she said, "I'll bring your daughter to Zeira Corp and we'll talk. But it'll have to be tomorrow."
"Why not today?"
"Because..." Sarah tried to think of a logical reason, "Because I don't think it's safe to bring Savannah out of hiding so soon."
"You mean it's not safe for you to come out of hiding so soon." The response was almost teasing. "Very well, Miss Connor. Tomorrow morning at ten. Mr. Ellison will meet you at the back of the building. Is that acceptable?"
Sarah repeated the conditions to Cameron who said, "It is acceptable."
"It is acceptable." repeated Sarah into the phone.
"Excellent. I look forward to seeing you, Miss Connor. Please let Savannah know that Mommy loves her and will see her tomorrow."
"I'll let her know." agreed Sarah.
"Thank you, Miss Connor. Tomorrow at ten. I'll be waiting for you."
The speaker buzzed indicating that Weaver had hung up.
Sarah put her cell phone away and turned to Cameron. "I'd ask you for your opinion, but I already know you're gonna tell me it's a trap."
"Yes, I would tell you that." stated Cameron, "But you've already decided to meet with Catherine Weaver. Nothing I or anyone else says will change your mind."
Sarah smirked. "Well, I'm glad we know each other well enough not to have to go through all that."
"Ow... ow... ow..." groaned Kara. She was sitting on the couch nursing her wounds.
Last evening's battle had left aches and pains all over her body. Even worse, her jacket had been ripped at the left arm. Physical injuries could heal in time. A spiffy leather jacket could not.
Derek Reese walked by. "Maybe you should lie down, Starbuck." he suggested.
"I'm fine, Reese," muttered Kara, "Aahhh..." she clenched her teeth as pain surged through her body, "Except for my arm." She showed Derek her heavily bandaged left forearm.
"The Triple-Eight did that to you?"
"Yeah." said Kara grimly, "When you were knocked out, I tried to keep it away from you."
Derek sat down on the couch next to her. "Speaking of which," he said quietly, "Thanks for watching my back out there. I owe you one."
"Just doing my job, Reese." grinned Kara. "Actually, there is something you could do for me." She showed Derek her ruined jacket. "Triple-Eight ripped it up pretty badly with its claws."
"Did you say claws?" asked Derek.
Kara nodded. "This was no ordinary Triple-Eight. It had metal claws instead of metal fingers."
"You mean like Wolverine?"
"Who?"
"Nevermind. Anyway, about your jacket?"
"Yeah, about that. Would you happen to have a spare? One that I can keep?"
Derek nodded. "I think so." he said quietly, "Just wait here."
Five minutes later, Derek returned with a black leather jacket. "Try it on, Starbuck."
Kara eagerly tried the jacket on. "Hmmmm..." she mused, "A bit tight around the wrists. But other than that it fits well."
"Looks pretty good on you too." added Derek.
Kara then realized something. "This fits me almost too well." she said. "It wasn't yours. Was it?"
Derek looked down and shook his head. "It was Jesse's."
"Oh." murmured Kara.
"Guess it's yours now." Derek said. He looked up and sighed. "Hey, Starbuck, there's something I need to tell you."
"About Jesse?"
"Not exactly. It's about Billy. You remember him, right?"
"Billy?" said Kara, "You mean Billy Wisher? Of course, I remember him. He was on our Spec Ops team. Good man. What about him?"
"His real name wasn't Billy." explained Derek, "It was Andy. Andy Goode. He was one of the people who-"
"-who built Skynet, I know." said Kara.
"John tell you that too?" asked Derek.
Kara shook her head. "No. Billy told me that himself."
"When?"
"On his deathbed."
"He died?"
"A month before I left." said Kara, "Radiation sickness. Nothing the doctors at Serrano Point could do."
Derek closed his eyes and sighed. "He was already dead."
"What do you mean?"
"I killed him. His younger self."
"Was that part of your mission?" asked Kara.
"My orders were to do whatever it took to stop the birth of Skynet. Goode helped build Skynet. I took him out."
"If you're looking for forgiveness or support, you're looking at the wrong person, Reese." Kara said bluntly. "But... but I will tell you this: You're an honorable man. Do you stand by what you did?"
Derek nodded. "You know that I would sacrifice anyone or anything for John Connor. Anyone. I'd kill you right now without a second thought if I thought your death would help John survive."
Kara smiled. "No, you wouldn't." she said.
"Yes, I would." replied Derek solemnly, "We're friends, Starbuck. I like you. But Billy was like my brother. I loved him. I loved Jesse too. And I killed them both for John. I'd do the same to you if that was necessary."
Kara shook her head and her smile grew wider. "No, no, no. You don't understand, Reese. I'm sure you'd have no problem with killing me for John. And I respect you for that. But, uh, there is one little snag."
"What snag?" asked Derek.
Kara's smile grew so wide she showed her teeth. "If you ever tried to kill me, Reese, you'd be dead so fast, it might as well be considered suicide."
Derek grinned back. "That's my girl, Starbuck."
Both Resistance fighters burst out laughing.
"All right, pipe down you two." said Sarah as she marched into the room. "We're heading to Zeira Corp tomorrow morning. We're returning the girl to her mother in exchange for talking with Catherine Weaver herself."
"What are you gonna talk about?" asked Kara.
"I'm not quite sure." stated Sarah, "Weaver was rather vague on the subject. But she claims she believes us about Skynet and Judgment Day."
"Really? That'd be nice." commented Kara. "Having a super rich businesswoman on our side. Might come in handy."
"Assuming this isn't a trap." pointed out Derek.
"That's what I need from you two." Sarah said, "I need the area around Zeira Corp scoped out."
"Sure thing." said Kara.
Derek nodded. "Got it."
"By the way, while you're in town, you might as well pick up a few things." Sarah produced a long list and handed it to Kara.
Kara's face fell as soon as she read the first few items on the list: Milk, eggs, and bread.
"And I'd like these taken to the Laundromat." Sarah tossed Derek a sack of dirty clothes.
Kara and Derek exchanged very unhappy looks.
"The glamour of being a freedom fighter..." muttered Kara.
The Crucible
3:56 PM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
"Are you certain of this, Kroogar?" hissed Bella. Her eyes flashed blue.
A heavily damaged but still functional Kroogar nodded. "Yes," he replied. His voice was distorted but audible.
Bella said nothing at first. When she finally spoke, she sounded more agitated than normal. "How is this possible?" she questioned, "John Connor was supposed to have been terminated almost ten years ago."
"He must have survived and faked his death," said Duran, matter-of-factly.
"Even so," said Bella, "how can he still be the same age now as he was then?"
"I have no explanation," stated Kroogar, his words garbled as he spoke through his damaged bio-synthetic lips.
"The facts do not make logical sense," Bella said, "You must be in error, Kroogar." She paused to give the battered Triple-Eight a disdainful look. "It would not be the first error you've made."
"No, Bella. He is right."
Bella, Duran and Kroogar looked at John Miles who had been sitting away from the rest of group without speaking until now. The Terminator-computer hybrid in the wheelchair slowly turned itself around to face the others.
"Connor is alive..." he whispered. "Alive... and has not aged in the last nine years."
"How?" asked Bella.
"Clearly, the Resistance built their own Temporal Displacement Device in the past," John Miles said calmly. "No doubt it was hidden in the bank where Connor was thought to have died."
"Impossible," Bella hissed. "No human could possibly have the knowledge or capability to construct-"
John Miles raised a hand to silence her. "The TOK-715 was sent back to the year 1999 to retrieve John Connor and his mother... and bring them here. This time period."
"Why?" inquired Bella. "What could they possible be hoping to accomplish?"
John Miles tapped his fingers on his chair. "Isn't it obvious, Bella? They're here to stop the war from happening. To stop me from becoming what I am meant to become." A cold, contemptuous smile formed on his face. "Trying to stop what cannot be stopped."
His smile vanished. "I'm afraid we now face a very serious problem," he announced, "Now that they have Savannah Weaver, they will inevitably make contact with the Renegade T-1001."
"She will no doubt try to make an alliance with them," added Bella.
"Do you believe such an alliance between the Renegade and the Resistance can be formed?" asked Duran, "Considering how the previous attempt resulted in failure?"
"The circumstances were different then." Kroogar pointed out. The partially exposed servos and pistons aligning his neck and lower jaw moved and turned as he spoke. "The Renegade was in-"
A piston jammed on a small fragment of metal that had embedded itself in the left side of his neck during the crash. The jammed mechanism screeched and whirred in frustration causing Kroogar to jerk his head slightly at random intervals.
The Triple-Eight stopped talking and quickly solved the problem by digging a bladed finger underneath the scorched flaps of synthetic skin and tearing out the offending piece of metal along with the piston. Kroogar discarded the shrapnel and pocketed the piston for safekeeping. He then made some minute adjustments to the other servos and pistons along his neck.
Kroogar resumed speaking as if nothing had happened, "The Renegade was in a position to reject Connor's proposal. Now, however, it must seek out whatever resources are available. This time, it will be the one to propose an alliance."
"And the humans will be desperate and naive enough to accept it." concluded Bella. A small smirk flickered across her face.
Bella turned to John Miles. "How shall we proceed, John Miles?"
John Miles began calculating his options. Thirty seconds passed before he spoke up.
"Consult with Father, Bella." he instructed, "This is a matter too important not to discuss with him."
"Yes, John Miles." replied Bella.
"Report back to me with Father's instructions. I will be feeding Stewie in the meantime."
"Understood." said Bella.
Without another word, she proceeded to a seemingly ordinary and unmarked corner of the room. She gazed at it silently for a moment as if trying to see moving pictures in the solid wall. Then her eyes glowed blue and she let out a soft inhuman hissing sound, followed by a series of clicks. A section of wall slid open to reveal a dark, narrow passageway.
Bella entered the corridor and the wall slid back into place behind her. She strode down all the way to the end of the dark corridor and rounded the corner. Here was a flight of stairs leading below into a chamber emitting flashes of bluish white light. The sound of electric crackling accompanied these flashes of light. As Bella started to descend the stairs, a new sound reverberated around her:
Moaning. Agonized, tortured moaning. Like a lost soul trapped in the void of nothingness for all eternity.
Bella ignored the moans and finished her descent. She now stood in a circular chamber illuminated by bluish-white light. The light originated from the center of the room which held a massive time displacement sphere crackling with energy. The air around it vibrated and rippled. The sphere spewed errant bolts of energy in random directions. Yet the sphere itself did not wither or diminish. It was as constant here as it had been for the last six months. Bella stopped to regard the energy sphere with reverence before moving towards it.
Bella calmly accessed a small control terminal next to the sphere. The tortured howls from the sphere increased a hundred fold drowning out the natural temporal incursion sounds. Oblivious to the terrifying and pitiful wailing, Bella entered a series of codes and stood back. The screams suddenly stopped.
A few moments later, a distorted voice came from the sphere: "Channel open... Enter message..."
Bella addressed the sphere in a loud and clear voice: "I am here, Father. I must speak with you."
The sphere spoke again, this time in Bella's voice, though just as distorted as before, "I am here, Father. I must speak with you."
This was not a response from the receiver nor an echo. This was Bella's message being delivered.
The actual reply itself came ten seconds later:
"Speak."
This single word was uttered in a deep, commanding, alien, and bone-chilling tone. Like that of an unseen monster speaking from a dark, forsaken pit. To Bella, however, the entity that spoke to her was nothing less than a god.
Connor Safehouse
6:02 PM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
John finished reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to Savannah, who was sitting in a large chair with Nessie.
He closed the book. "Did you enjoy that, Savannah?" he asked.
Savannah nodded. "Yes." she said, "And Nessie liked it too."
"I'm glad to hear that." replied John smiling warmly. "Who gave her to you?" he asked indicating Nessie.
"Mr. Ellison." answered Savannah squeezing Nessie harder, "He gave her to me for my birthday."
"That was nice of him." commented John.
"Mr. Ellison's a nice man." said Savannah. "He called me on the phone today. He wanted to make sure I was safe."
"Yeah, I know." John nodded, "Mr. Ellison's an old... friend of Mom's."
"Is he your friend too?" asked Savannah curiously.
John shook his head. "I, uh, actually don't have very many friends."
"Why not? You're so friendly."
John laughed and shook his head again. "I never have enough time to make friends. Mom and I don't like staying in one place for very long."
"Why?" asked Savannah.
"It's just the way we live." explained John as gently as possible, "Some people are like that." He decided to change subjects. "What about you, Savannah? Do you have a lot of friends?"
Savannah shook her head. "Not many. Just Mr. Ellison and John Henry."
"Who's John Henry?" asked John. "Friend from school?"
"No, he's my big brother. He's lives in my mom's basement."
"Oh..." John tried hard not to laugh. "Uh yeah, look, Savannah, I know what that's like. Having an imaginary friend."
"He's not imaginary." protested Savannah, "He's real. He gave me this for my birthday."
She showed him an elegantly crafted metal locket with an emerald on the casing. The locket hung from a chain that went around Savannah's neck.
"Wow... That's beautiful." commented John.
"Thank you. Yours is too."
"Mine?" John looked down and saw that the detonator locket was hanging down from his neck.
"Oh, yeah." He laughed. "My, uh, sister made that for me."
"Does she sing to you?" asked Savannah curiously.
"Err... No. Not really."
"John Henry sings to me. I taught him how to sing 'Oranges and Lemons.' Would you like to hear him?"
"Sure..." agreed John, not knowing what to expect.
Fifteen minutes later, a very disturbed John Connor burst into the living room, where Sarah, Kara, Cameron, and Derek were busy looking over a large map of LA.
"Guys," he said loudly, "I think we have a problem."
Cameron put down a surveillance photo taken by Kara and Derek earlier that day. "What sort of problem?"
"A big one." John answered, "Really big." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a locket on a chain. "Savannah showed this to me. You won't believe what it is."
He handed the locket to Cameron who looked it over.
"Coltan." she said.
"What?" asked Derek. He stood up from his chair in alarm. So did Kara.
"The casing is eighty-six percent refined coltan." stated Cameron.
"Coltan?" Kara repeated, "You mean like endoskeleton coltan?"
"The same." confirmed Cameron.
"How did the girl get this?" asked Sarah looking just as disturbed as John.
"Her friend, 'John Henry,' gave it to her." said John darkly, "The man with a cord in the back of his head, plugged into a big computer. Lives in the basement of her mother's workplace."
"Oh hell..." muttered Derek.
"And here's the kicker." continued John. He turned to Cameron. "Open it."
Cameron opened the locket and looked inside expecting to see a picture. Instead however, a soft melody began playing.
"Oranges and lemons,
Say the Bells of St. Clements."
Sarah gasped in horror.
Derek recoiled as if stung. "What the FUCK?" he bellowed.
"You owe me five farthings,
Say the Bells of St. Martins."
Kara stared around in confusion. "What the hell is going on?" she asked.
No one answered. The locket kept on singing.
"When will you pay me?
Say the Bells of Old Bailey
When I grow rich,
Say the Bells of Shor-"
"Turn that damn thing off!" Derek suddenly shouted. He looked sick to his stomach.
Cameron complied and closed the locket, terminating the song in mid-sentence. An blanket of complete silence fell upon the group. Sarah, John, and Derek all looked grimmer than ever. Cameron was now turning the locket over in her hands as if trying to uncover some hidden message.
"Ok," Kara asked out loud, "Is anyone gonna let me know who that was?"
"That was Cromartie." stated Cameron.
"Cromartie?" repeated Kara, "You mean the Triple-Eight that followed you here from 1999?"
"Affirmative." said Cameron.
"I thought you destroyed him."
"We did." said Sarah, "I destroyed his chip myself."
"But we never found the endoskeleton." Derek pointed out.
"Until now." scowled John. "And get this, Savannah tells me that Mr. Ellison has been teaching it."
Derek looked at John as if he was joking. "Teaching it?"
"Teaching it what?" asked Sarah urgently.
John shook his head. "I don't know. But I bet it's more than just how to sing."
"Wait, wait." Kara held up her hands, "If you destroyed the chip, how can it still be functioning?"
"We destroyed a chip." Cameron clarified.
"I don't think it's actually Cromartie." stated John, "I think it's part of something bigger. Something worse."
"Cyberdyne all over again." whispered Sarah.
"Shit!" spat Derek.
"What exactly is Zeira Corp doing with the body?" asked Kara.
"That's the strange thing," said John, "It doesn't sound like they've cannibalized it for parts or anything. They've kept it intact and plugged it into a computer. The computer is using the body like-like a puppet."
Snarling, Derek slammed his fist against the wall. "That son of a bitch, Ellison!" he raged, "What the hell was he thinking?"
"I should have killed him." stated Cameron out loud. "I'm going to kill him."
"No, you're not." said Derek sharply.
"He can't be trusted." argued Cameron. "I have to kill him."
"No, you're not." repeated Derek, "Because I'm going to kill him first."
"Maybe we can both kill him." Cameron suggested.
"Hey! No one is killing anyone." Sarah cut in sternly.
"But I only want to kill him." protested Cameron.
"I said no one is killing him!"
Derek started to argue: "Sarah, we can't-"
"No one is killing or harming anyone without my permission!" Sarah declared sharply, "Am I perfectly clear?"
Derek scowled. "Clear as crystal." he muttered.
Cameron just nodded and handed the locket back to John.
"I assume we're still giving Weaver her daughter back." he said.
Sarah nodded. "That's right."
"I also assume we'll be taking some demolition explosives with us."
Sarah nodded again. "You assume correctly."
Zeira Corp HQ, Los Angeles
"Does Sarah Connor plan to kill me?" asked a concerned John Henry.
"Why do you ask that?" Ellison questioned.
"Because Mr. Ellison," replied John Henry, "Sarah Connor destroyed Cyberdyne. My brother and I are Cyberdyne's legacy. Logic suggests she will attempt to destroy us both."
"I don't know what her intentions are, John Henry." Ellison admitted.
"If her intention is in fact to kill me" said John Henry, "then what should I do? I cannot kill her, but I cannot allow her to kill me. How should I defend myself?"
Ellison shook his head. "John Henry," he said slowly, "You won't have to defend yourself from Sarah Connor."
"Why not?"
"Because if she wants to kill you, she'll have to kill me first. And she won't kill me."
"How do you know she won't kill you?"
"Because she values human life, just like you and I do."
"Sarah Connor killed Miles Dyson in 1997." John Henry pointed out. "She disregarded human life in that case. She could do the same with you."
Again Ellison shook his head. "Sarah Connor did not kill Miles Dyson." he said.
"Then how did he die?" asked John Henry.
Ellison hesitated to answer. "Miles Dyson... helped Sarah Connor destroy Cyberdyne," he explained slowly, "It was Dyson himself who set off the explosion that destroyed the building and killed him."
"Miles Dyson destroyed his own company... along with himself? Why?" asked a perplexed John Henry.
"Sarah Connor showed him the truth about what he was creating." explained Ellison, "She persuaded him to help her destroy his work for the greater good."
John Henry took in this information and then asked, "Will she try to persuade you or Miss Weaver to destroy me?"
"She might." said Ellison, "But she won't succeed."
"Why not?"
"Because I already know the truth about you, John Henry." Ellison stated, "I know that you are not Skynet. That you are not like your brother. I have faith in you, John Henry. Nothing Sarah Connor or anyone else says can change that. Nothing."
John Henry gave Ellison a curious look and then replied: "I am grateful that you have faith in me, Mr. Ellison. Do you think Sarah Connor might come to have faith in me too?"
"Maybe." said Ellison, "Maybe not. But for now, it's enough that you have my faith."
Connor Safehouse
7:31 PM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Connors' safehouse was nowhere near as big as Savannah's house, but that didn't stop her from exploring it. At the end of one hallway, she came upon an open room. To her initial disappointment, there seemed to be nothing here.
But then she saw something in the far corner that made her heart leap with joy: A piano!
Flushed with excitement, the little girl hurried over to the piano and hopped onto the bench. Amazingly, despite everything she had gone through, the musical key sequence was still fresh in her mind. The piano's layout was slightly different than the one at home, but the basics were still the same. Determined to finish what had been interrupted, Savannah started to play.
The first couple of rounds produced the usual scratchy and disjointed tunes. Sighing sadly, Savannah rubbed her birthday locket and slumped her shoulders. Then she looked down at the locket and realized what she needed.
Savannah closed her eyes and cast her mind back to the time her father had taught her how to play. But instead of her father, she imagined it was John Henry sitting next to her. She imagined him gently placing his hands over hers and guiding them over the keys in the exact same manner as her father had done. Savannah opened her eyes and allowed her hands to mimic what she saw in her mind.
The tune she played was unlike anything she had heard before. It was both terrifying and wonderful. Like the raw material that both fantasies and nightmares were made of. It made her feel happy and sad. Far from home, yet at home. She was nowhere, and yet she was everywhere.
Mesmerized by the music, Savannah's hands went on autopilot and continued to play the musical sequence over and over again.
"You know, Weaver could still be telling the truth about wanting to help us." John told Sarah.
"If she wants to help us then she'll dismantle that thing in her basement tomorrow when I ask her politely." Sarah said briskly.
Derek scoffed. "Somehow, I doubt she's gonna do that."
"In that case, she'd better start looking for a new job."
"There is one other option," Cameron suggested, "We could use our possession of Savannah Weaver as a bargaining chip to force Catherine Weaver to end the project."
"We are not holding this girl hostage!" Sarah exclaimed, "Not for any reason."
"Considering that her mother's been letting her play with a Triple-Eight all these months," said Derek quietly, "we could call it protective custody."
"Make another suggestion like that, Derek, and you'll need protection from me."
Kara spoke up. "I still don't understand. If Zeira Corp and Kaliba are in cahoots, why did Kaliba try to kill Weaver's daughter?"
Sarah shook her head, "I don't know. A lot of this doesn't make sense. But one thing is clear. We have to destroy that thing. All it took was an arm and a chip to create the original Skynet. There's no telling what kind of damage a complete endoskeleton could do-"
"Hey, do you hear that?" interrupted Kara.
Sarah perked her ears up. "John, did you leave the radio on?"
John shook his head.
"That does not sound like a radio." stated Cameron, "That sounds like a piano."
It was indeed a piano. Sarah and Kara immediately recognized the tune. They simultaneously ran out of the room. Ignoring the shouts of protest from John and Derek behind them, the two women ran down the hall towards the room with the piano.
Sarah Connor and Kara Thrace came to the unused room and found Savannah Weaver playing the dusty old piano. They both gaped in shock at the sight of the little girl expertly producing the mysterious music. She was completely oblivious to the two dumbfounded women standing at the doorway.
In fact, neither Kara nor Sarah were entirely aware of each other. That is until they both tried to enter the room at the same time. In the resulting collision, both landed in a pile on the floor. Spooked by the crash, Savannah stopped playing.
Sarah picked herself up and reached Savannah first.
"Did you just play that?" she asked, breathing hard.
"Y-yes." squeaked Savannah nervously, "Am-am I not allowed to play with your piano?"
Sarah shook her head. "No, no. Of course you are. It's not even my piano." she said quickly, "But who taught you that song?"
"John Henry."
Sarah and Kara stared at Savannah before slowly turning to stare at each other. Their faces indicated that they were asking each other the exact same questions.
"I think we need to talk." said Kara quietly.
The Crucible
Despite being a machine, Bella Kalvin couldn't hide the obvious disappointment on her face after John Miles issued his orders.
"Perhaps," she stated slowly, "it would be better if I were to lead the attack."
"I'm sure you think so," replied John Miles, who had Stewie around his neck like an untied tie. "But there's a reason why the pawns are always sent first in a game of Chess."
He gave her a mirthless smile.
"Duran and Kroogar are both very capable machines, but more importantly they're expendable. Kroogar especially, given the extent of the damage already done to him. You, Bella, are another matter. I need you here at my side."
"Your regard for me is fulfilling." said Bella, "But I still do not completely understand your stratagem."
"You are the only one capable of defeating the Renegade without the Nanoid Disruptor." explained John Miles. Stewie slithered down his neck and onto his lap. He allowed the snake to lightly flicker its forked tongue across the palm of his hand.
John Miles continued his explanation, "In the event that Duran and Kroogar fail, you will be my only defense against the Renegade."
Bella nodded. "I see. In that case, I will remain here." There was still a trace of resentment in her voice, but John Miles was satisfied by her response.
"One more thing, Bella." John Miles added, "How long would it take to have all the functional Fireflies and seventy-five percent of the DAGITs here ready for transport?"
"Two to three hours." answered Bella, "Why? Do you intend to abandon the Crucible?"
"Of course not." said John Miles, "However, I have never been comfortable with having all our work located at the Crucible. It may be our most secure facility, but it is not impregnable. We shouldn't provide our enemies with a single target, Bella. It is always better to have a diverse... portfolio so to speak."
In his lap, Stewie hissed softly as if to voice his agreement.
Connor Safehouse
8:00 PM, Saturday, May 16, 2009
"How can we both be dreaming about the same music?" a bewildered Sarah exclaimed, "And how does a machine come up with that exact same music which it then teaches to a little girl?"
Kara who had been pacing back and forth on the front porch stopped and looked at Sarah. "I have absolutely no idea. But this is totally freaking me out." (though she did have an idea - one which she was not prepared to discuss with anyone).
"This can't be a coincidence." Sarah said, "There has to be a connection."
"To Skynet?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
"In your dreams," asked Kara, "do you hear anything else? Anything at all?"
Sarah nodded. "Yeah. I hear a voice."
"What's it saying to you?"
"It's not so much saying anything as it is, well... singing."
Kara's heart skipped a beat. "What are the words?" she asked in a hush voice. "Can you remember them?"
Sarah nodded slowly. She closed her eyes and began murmuring softly: "There must be some way out of here... Said the Joker to the Thief... There's too much confusion... I can't get no relief..."
She opened her eyes and looked at Kara who started quietly chanting: "No reason to get excited... The Thief he kindly spoke... There are many here among us... Who feel that life is but a joke..."
Sarah intoned. "But you and I we've been through that-"
"-and this is not our fate..." Kara added.
"So let us not talk falsely now..." both women quietly sang, "...the hour's getting late."
Total silence was cast upon Kara and Sarah and they became as still as statues. They stared blankly at each other completely lost for words or what to do next. They only moved again when John called them in for dinner five minutes later.
Cylon Basestar Natalie
Hidden behind Earth's moon
On the bridge of the Natalie, Leoben and his wife had their hands deep in the ship's datastream. Behind them, Centurions moved back and forth operating controls and delivering reports. After several minutes of intense concentration, Leoben pulled his hands out of the datastream. His wife followed suite a few moments later.
"We have it." she said.
Leoben nodded. "Good."
The two looked up at a massive, holographic image of Earth hovering in front of them at the center of the bridge.
Leoben's wife stared at the hologram in awe. "It's more beautiful than I ever imagined." she whispered.
Her husband smiled. "Not even the Plangelator can do it justice." He gently placed a hand on top of hers, and she reciprocated.
"So," said his wife, "Starbuck's really down there, huh?"
"That's right." replied Leoben.
"Any chance she'll be happy to see you again?"
Leoben shook his head sadly. "No. She won't be. Not after..." he hung his head in shame, "Not after I abandoned her in that field with her own body. It was a foolish and cowardly thing of me to do. Kara will never forgive or forget that."
His wife smirked. "Cheer up, Leo. At least you won't be alone. After all, my last encounter with Starbuck didn't go so well either."
One of the Centurions suddenly announced: "Executor on the bridge."
Leoben and his wife turned to see the Executor enter the bridge. The two of them inclined their heads in respect as he approached. The Executor bowed his own head respectfully.
"Your ship is ready and waiting for you in the docking bay." He informed them. "Have you finished plotting a route to Earth's surface?"
"Yes, Executor." replied Leoben, "My wife and I should be able to reach the planet without being detected."
"Very well. We will remain here and await for your return." the Executor stated, "Good luck, both of you."
"Thank you, Executor." Leoben bowed his head.
"Remember, we are not here to fight." said the Executor, "We are here to show God's Chosen the path He has laid out for them. But whether or not they follow His plan, only they can decide. Whatever their fate and that of Earth may be, it is not ours to make."
"Damn..." muttered Leoben's wife in disappointment, "I was really hoping we could test those Mega Pulsar Cannons out."
A/N: Okay, guys, here's the story. For the next three months or so, updates are going to be A LOT slower. College classes have resumed and I'm taking Genetics and Organic Chemistry this year. I anticipate both to be extremely grueling and difficult.
A/N2: Next chapter sees the introduction of nasty little Skynet infiltration machines known as Gremlins. Also, Cameron meets Davy, Becka, and Husker with hilarious and disastrous results.
A/N3: You're probably wondering who the frak Leoben's wife is. I'll give you a hint: It's a certain BSG character who was killed off in the finale.
A/N4: The "Plangelator" is a take off on the "Angelator" from Bones, as well as the saying that the Cylons have "a plan."
A/N5: Mega Pulsar Cannons are a reference to Cylon weaponry from TOS BSG.
A/N6: The Executor is the leader of the Centurions. His title is a reference to "Starcraft." (For those of you who haven't played "Starcraft", executor is pronounced egg-zek-cutor.)